Quick Facts
Vessel Name: Prins Willem V
Type: Motor package freighter
Specs: 258 ft (L) × 42 ft (B) × 15 ft (D)
Construction: Steel
Year Built: 1948
Home Port: Rotterdam, Holland
General Era: WWII & post-war transition era
Vessel Service: Transatlantic package freight between Northern Europe and the Great Lakes.
Date of Loss: October 14, 1954
Cause of Loss: Collision with towing cables of an oil barge off Milwaukee Harbor.
Location: Lake Michigan, ~4.6 miles E of Milwaukee
Coordinates: 43° 01.539′ N, 87° 48.528′ W
Depth Range: 55 to 90ft (16.7 to 27.4m)
History & Story
The Prins Willem V was ordered in 1939 by Oranje Lines of Holland as part of a new class of steel-hulled diesel freighters intended to operate between Northern Europe and the Great Lakes via the St. Lawrence Seaway. She was built alongside her sister ships, Prins Willem IV and Prins Alexander.
Construction began in Norway in 1939 but was interrupted in May 1940 when Nazi forces invaded the country. Work on the vessel halted, and in October 1944, German forces deliberately sank the unfinished hull near Rotterdam to block harbor access during the Allied advance.
After World War II, the vessel was raised and rebuilt. On December 11, 1947, following extensive repairs and engine reconditioning, she entered service.
Final Voyage and Sinking
On October 14, 1954, the Prins Willem V departed Milwaukee under heavy overcast skies and strong winds. Approximately three miles off Milwaukee Harbor, she collided with the towing cables of Sinclair Oil Company’s Barge 12, which was being towed by the tug Chicago.
The freighter sank in approximately 90 feet of water. All 30 crew members were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Hollyhock. A Coast Guard investigation placed responsibility on both vessels.
The Max Gene Nohl Salvage Attempt
The wreck soon drew the attention of Milwaukee diver and inventor Max Gene Nohl, known internationally for his record-setting 420-foot dive in Lake Michigan.
When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers declared part of the wreck a navigation hazard, Nohl successfully bid on a $50,000 contract to remove the obstruction, securing ownership rights to the vessel as part of the agreement.
Only a gangplank required removal to clear the hazard, leading to a dispute over payment. After legal negotiations, the contract was settled for $46,000, and Nohl retained ownership. He hoped to eventually raise and restore the vessel, but those plans were never realized.
Nohl died in 1960, and the wreck was later auctioned. Subsequent salvage attempts were unsuccessful.
Later Ownership and Protection
In later years, the wreck attracted unusual commercial interest. Companies including Evinrude and Wurlitzer explored publicity campaigns involving equipment recovered from the site, though none materialized.
Today, under the Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987, the Prins Willem V is protected as state-owned submerged cultural heritage and is managed by the Wisconsin Historical Society. The wreck remains one of Milwaukee’s most visited recreational dive sites.
Historic View
Photo Highlights
Present-Day Dive Overview
Dive Type: Recreational
Depth Range: 55 to 90ft (16.7 to 27.4m)
Certification: This site is suitable for divers with training appropriate for the planned depth and conditions.
Depths are approximate and may vary with lake level, seasonal and weather conditions.
One of Milwaukee’s most popular dive sites, the Prins Willem V lies on its starboard side in approximately 80 feet of water. The bow is oriented to the east, resting against a distinctive clay wall formed as the vessel settled into the lakebed, while the stern extends westward. The wreck is largely intact and offers engaging exploration for a wide range of experience levels. For recreational divers, the upper (port) side of the wreck begins around 56 feet, making it an accessible and rewarding dive.
The 3D model clearly illustrates the vessel’s layout, with the hull opened along its starboard side, revealing interior spaces and machinery. Divers can explore prominent features including the angled mast, pilot house, companionways, and skylights that lead into the engine room. Barrels remain visible within the cargo holds—remnants of earlier salvage efforts—adding to the site’s layered history.
At the bow, the partially buried hull has created a dramatic clay wall that rises alongside the wreck, one of the most visually striking features of the site. At the stern, the ship’s name is still visible, an area divers frequently help maintain by gently clearing algae, zebra, and quagga mussels.
Additional artifacts from the Prins Willem V, including a propeller and smokestack, can be seen on display at Jerry’s Guyer Marina along the Milwaukee River. Whether visited as a single dive or revisited over time, the Prins Willem V offers a well-preserved, three-dimensional wreck with clear orientation, rich detail, and enduring appeal.
3D Interactive Model
Click the image or follow this link to explore it. 3D model by Andrew Goodman and Ken Merryman (3DShipwrecks.org), in collaboration with the Wisconsin Historical Society — CC BY-ND.